Nested box



June4 4, 1940. E. s. TlPToN 2,203,240

NESTED BOX Filed March 9, 1939 INVNTOR j y Bdnaie @WA4/ @TORNEY PatentedJune 4, 1940 UNITED STATES NESTED rBox f Edna Sibley Tipton, New York,N. Y.

vApplication March 9, 1939, Serial No..260,806

1o claims,

This invention concerns tray-like nested boxes, some or all of whichhave partitions. The partitions of boxes, in which other boxes arenested, are collapsible or nestable in order to facilitate nesting ofthe smaller boxes therein. v Part of the instant subject matter has beentaken over from applicants abandoned application, Serial No. 622,901,filed July 16, 1932, for Articles of manufacture.

The object of this invention is to provide a set of coordinatedreceptacles, which may be nested and thus will occupy very little space,when they are stored or packed away for transportation. When these boxesarey unnested for r use, so to speak, they present a number of indinvidual trays, some vor all of which' are sub'- divided by thecollapsible or nestable partitions into a plurality of compartments.lEach compartment may accommodate a different kind o r type of articlein a segregated, orderlyfashion.

Nested boxes of this inventiony may represent an independent article ofmanufacture, and the largest of boxes may serve as a cover for theothers, whereas the smallest of the boxes mayfbe provided with solid,permanently arrangedr partitions, which do not have to be collapsiblefor the nesting operation.

But such a unit of nested boxes may also form part of a larger unit orarticle of manufacture and fits, for instance, a pigeon hole or bin of arack, cabinet or desk, lor may be nested into the drawers of any pieceof furniture.

Nestable boxes of this invention may be put to use in a store in ordertof afford the keeping and display of merchandise in a Well appointedfashion.v When, at another time, larger merchandise is to be kept ondisplay, and there is cellently for such operation, but may be removedvand unobtrusively stored by nesting, when they have been emptied andhave served their purpose for the time being.

The nestable boxes `offer good use inoifice and studio, for instance forpens, pencils,brushes, instruments, etc. when the user is at Work, andlikes to have all instruments and tools conveniently atr his disposal.AWhenjin use v`the arrangement.

boxes may be stacked, when lnot inus'e` they are nested.

A set of boxes of this invention are particularly suitedv for transient'or permanent occupantsy of hotels and `apartment houses,` cabins such asknives, forks, spoons and other like arfticles. f lThe dining room orkitchenette mayKusually be supplied with furniture suchasa sideboard orcupboard, but such furniture is not usually equipped with drawers orother compartments vfor holding tableware ofthe typementioned.

The n ested boxes of this invention render possible the appointment ,ofnecessaries in new surroundings inl a manner to which one has becomeaccustomed in-pri'or quarters'. `f

In like manner nestable boxes of this invention render necessar'iesavailable in rooms .and boudoirs, vby' separately accommodating haber#dash-ery, garments, toilet articles, cosmetics, utensils, etc. y

A construction Whereb-ysaid objects may be attained is exemplarily showninthe accompanyverse vertical section.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section' of one of said boxes v looking inv thedirection of oney of the sides which is supplied with mountinggrooves'for partitions.

Fig. 3 is aA section of Fig. 2 taken at, and looking inthe directionindicated 'at line- 3--3l in Fig. 2. y Y.

Fig. 4 is the perspective viewof another embodiment of this invention inwhich part of the outside container yhas been vsectioned away in orderto permit a yview of the novel interior Fig. 5` is across-sectionedyside View of yanother Containern-of. this invention, in which some ofthepartitionskare tension-controlled, like in all l Athe remainingfigures.

. .'Fig. 6 is a vcorresponding horizontal cross-sec'- tiontaken at alevel and in the direction indi- Fig. 7 is a detailed View executedsimilarA to that of Fig. 2, but concerns another modificationof,this'invention.v Fig. .,8: isa corresponding cross-section` taken ata line and in a direction denoted by the digit 8 in Fig. 7.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the various views.

In detail, the construction illustrated in said drawing is as follows:

In Fig. 1 the individual boxes from the largest to the smallest areindicated by the reference figures I, 2 and 3 respectively.

The partitions are shown in boxes I and 2 in the folded position, thosein box I being indicated `at 4, 4, li; those in box 2 are indicated at5, 5; Ythe partitions in the smallest box 3 may be either rigidlyattached or foldable, are shown in dotted lines and are indicated by thereference numerals 6, B.

One particular novel feature of this inventionv is found in thefoldability of the partitions and more especially in the constructionwhereby the two characteristics of foldability and non-removability arecombined.

For the attainment of these characteristics the following constructionis suggested:

In an embodiment of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 each partition is provided uponeach end with two short Pegs or dowel-like projections as 'I and 8; thelower one, "I, is termed the hinge-pin and the upper one, 8, is termedthe locking pin.

For the reception of hingepin l, a vertically disposed groove or slot 9is formed in the inner opposing faces of two opposite vertical wallsIIJ, Iii; also for the reception and movement of said locking pin 8, agroove or slot II, having a substantially arcuate form is formed4 in theinner opposing faces of said two opposite vertical walls.

In the formation of said groove I I, av radius R is employed the lengthof which is equal to the distance from center to center of said pins land 8 as indicated at a in Fig. 2; the center from which said radius isstruck is located at a short distance above the bottom of the box, asindicated at b; the upper extremity of said groove II extendsdownwardly, as shown at I2; said downwardly disposed extremity forms thelocking feature whereby the foldable partitions are retained in theirupright positions.

Y For the purpose of explaining how this locking feature operates,referenceis made to Fig. 2 of the drawing, in which three partitions areindicated as follows: The one at the left hand end of said viewindicates a partition in the upright, service position; in the center ofsaid view, a partition, indicated in dotted lines, is shown in aposition which is intermediate to the service position and the foldedposition; at the right hand end of said Fig. 2 a partition is indicatedin the downward (outofservice, nestable) position; in order to place theupright partition in the folded position it is raised suiciently topermit the locking pin Si to enter the arcuate portion of slot II,substantially as indicated in dotted lines in said Fig. 2; in thisposition, the partition will readily fall by gravity into the foldedposition shown at the right hand end of said figure. To erect apartition into its service position, it is manually actuated bygraspingY its upper edge and raising the same until the locking pin 8drops into the vertically disposed upper end I2 of the groove II.

The partitions of any unit of the nestable series may extendtransversely to those in any other unit.

The material from which the boxunits ofthe series are made may be wood,metal or any other suitable composition such as plastics commer-vcialiZed under the trade names of Bakelite Viscoloid, etc.

Or course it may also be desirable to arrange the height of nestableboxes such as 22, 23 and 24 in Fig. 4, so that their tops aresubstantially level when they are nested, as shown. These nestable boxes22, 23 and 24, may be coordinated with a l cover.

However, after the largest nestable box ZI has been collapsed and thenturned into an upsidedown position the partitions 25, which correspondto the partitions 4 of the device of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, willgravitationally drop backinto their pitched, substantially verticalpositions, and will thus interfere with thedepositing of box 2 I in anupside-down position on lthe nested other boxes 22, 23 and 24'. V

vFor this and other reasons of positively allocating the partitions ineither the pitched or the nestable position, an arrangement may bepreferred which does not depend upon mere gravtyfor the positioning ofthe partitions but which vtemporarily secures them, preferablybytension, in the said extreme positions, This is illustrated in theremaining figures.

In Fig. '7, which concerns a construction applicable to all the nestableboxes and especially to a largest nestable box I, hinge pins 2l',locking pins 28, the straight hinge groove 22 at the bottom for hingepins 21, the one of opposite vertical side walls 30, the arcuate groove3l, and the hook portion 32 of said groove correspond to the parts l, 8,9, II), Ii andY l2 of the embodiment of Figs. l, 2 and 3. But here thearcuate groove- 3l has a reclined spur portion 28 at its lower end.

The straight groove 29 is correspondingly inhook 32 at the upper end ofthe arcuate groove 3l. This arrangement, by itself, has the advantagethat the unnested box may stand upright on the side of the box fromwhich the spur, hook and hinge groove are tilted away, in which positionof the box the partitions are gravita`-v tionally stable when pitched orwhen collapsed.

From the bottom at which side walls 3l) are assembled with the bottompanel 33 of box 2l, a narrow groove 3@ iscotmtersunk into such wall 3i),for instance by the cut of a thin milling cutter of a diametercorresponding to the top extent of the slot or groove 34.

.The slot or groove 34 is just wide enough to allow a vertical play oftension means therein, which may for instance be a round spring `wire35. i Wire 35 comprises a straight central portion -lowest positionlshown so that the upper p-in 3B i's also firmly locked in the end of thehook portion 32 of arcuate groove '3 I. But against the pres- 'itA sureof spring the partition 25 may be manipulated, lifted and moved parallelto itself to the right, until the upper pin 28 slides into the arcuategroove 3| around the hinge pin 21, which is now lodged in the upper endof the hinge groove 29. When the partition 25 has been swung into ahorizontal position, pin 28 enters upon the spur 26 at the end of groove3|, and the partition 25 will move parallel to itself in a substantiallyhorizontal position at an incline to the left, pins 21 and 28 followingthe hinge groove 29 and spur 26, respectively. At the end of this motionthe pin 28 is locked at the bottom of the spur 26, because pin 21 hasbeen pushed down and to the left by the spring 35, so that the partition25 is now retained'under tension in a nestable position, whichcorresponds to the position indicated for a partition 4 at the extremeright of Fig. 2.

Since the partitions are now retained in the nestable position, underspring pressure, they will not flop around and flap into any possibleposition when the box 2| is turned upside-down in order to be depositedas a lid upon the nested boxes 22, 23 and 24. After the nestable box 2|has been removed and restored to an upside-up position, the partitions,which are now collapsed in a nestable position, may be pitched again byreversing the procedure described in the second preceding paragraph:Against the tension of spring 35, the partition 25 is pulled up to theright; then pin 28 engages again in the arcuate groove 3| and slidestherealong-nally locking pin 28 snaps into the hook end 32, and thetension of springs 35 depressing hinge pins 21 again retains thepartition in the pitched position shown in Fig. '7.

If the hinge pins are arranged at a slightly elevated positionvon theopposite sides of a partition-intermediate to the top and bottom edgesof the partitionsthe arcuate guide groove and the locking pins such asIl and 3|, and 8 and 28, respectively, may be dispensed with, othermeans being provided for engaging the partition releasably in anupright, pitched position. Such an embodiment is indicated in Figs. 5and 6.

In order to indicate versatility of the arrangement of this invention,the nestable box 40 of the modification of Figs. 5 and 6 is shown to beformed and struck up in sheet metal. Transverse grooves 4| are formed inthe bottom portion 42 of the nestable box 40, and serve to receive andto engage the lower edge of a partition 43, when it is in an upright,pitched position. From the bottom portion 42 of nestable box 40 are bentup opposite outer sides 44. These opposite outer sides 44 are folded in,back upon themselves again by way of flaps 45 forming inner oppositewalls, the respective outer walls 44 and inner walls 45 being suitablyspaced apart, for instance by insertion of flaps extending from the endwalls which are not shown. Thus free play is allowed between said side44 and wall 45 for a spring 46. Spring 46 is curved so that portions 41thereof, which are located adjacent to or between partitions 43 of thenestable box 40, are

These rollers 50 are also engaged underneath the concave portion 52 ofspring 46 in the space between the inner and 'outer walls 44 and 45.

The tension of spring 46 normally retains the partition 43 in theupright, pitched position shownA in Fig. 5 in which the bottom edge ofthe partition is engaged in groove 4|. But when the partition 43 islifted out ofthe groove 4| against the reaction of spring 46, and isthen tilted and released, it will flop and snap into a position in whichit rests horizontally flat upon the bottom portion 42, the springportion 42 now assuming a substantially straight or convex position, byway of contrast with the concave position in which it is shown in Fig.5.

While the partition 45 is collapsed into a nestable position, the roller5D is of course depressed into its lowest position, and the springportion 52 reacting thereupon will now retain the partition 43 in thehorizontal nestable position, until the partition 43 is returned by atilting manipulation against the reaction of spring portion 52 into avertical position, in which the lower end of partition 43 again snapsinto the groove 4| in the bottom portion 42 of the nestable box.

It is clearly shown in the drawing, and attention is hereby furthermorecalled to the fact, that the foldability of said partitions, also themethod of their self-retainability in the upright position are inherentin structural, co-operative features formed in, upon or carried by saidpartitions at each end thereof and the box walls adjacent said endswhereby not only the necessity of any accessory fixtures isdispensedwith, but

a high degree of strength, economy, eflciency i and convenience in useare also attained.

The examples herein shown and described are to be interpreted asillustrative and not in limitation of the invention.

What I claim is: i

1. An article of manufacture comprising a series of nestable boxes eachhaving vertically disposed partitions which are adapted to be foldedinto contact with the bottom of the respective box, twooppositely-positioned walls of said box being provided in their inneropposing faces with grooves adapted to form receiving, retaining,guiding and locking means for co-operative, coactingfeatures carriedupon the ends of said partitions, and partitions for said box havingupon each end thereof a feature such as a pin or dowel havingco-.operative action with said grooves so as to occupy, be retained,guided and locked thereby in their service position.

2. A box comprising a bottom having vertically-extending side wallsrigidly secured thereto so as to form a rectangular structure, oneormore partitions for such box, each of said partitions having alongitudinally-extending dowelv adjacent each edge of each end thereof,there being a pair of transversely aligned grooves in the inner opposingfaces of said walls for the reception of the dowels upon the respectiveends of said partitions, whereby said partitions are arrangable intoeither a vertical service position or in atwise contact with said bottomfor the respective purposes set forth.

3. An article of manufacture consisting of a series of nestable boxes, aunit thereof comprising a bottom having vertically-extending side Wallsrigidly secured thereto so as to form a rectangular structure, one ormore partitions for such `box each of which partitions is provided witha longitudinally-extending dowel adjacent each edge of each end thereof,there being for Azo each partition employed, a pair oftransverselyaligned grooves, one in each inner, opposing face lof saidside walls for the reception of the dowel upon the respective ends ofsaid partitions whereby said partitions are arrangable in'to either avertical service position or in atwise contact with said bottom, for therespective purposes set forth.

4. An article ofmanufacture consisting of, a box of rectangular formhaving a permanently attached bottom and partitions for said box havking at each end thereof dowels or like members, theoppositely-positioned walls of said box being provided with grooves forthe reception and free movement of said dowels therein, said groovesbeing oi such configuration as to permit said partitions to be disposedin flatwise contact with the .bottoni of said box and/or to be erectedinto and retained at a vertical position with their lower edges incontact with said bottom.

5. As an article of manufacture, tray-like, solid, relatively nestableboxes having back walls and partitions arising from said walls andrendered nestable by an arrangement under which the partitions can beswung back onto said walls, comprising hinge pins upon opposite ends ofsaid partitions, opposite side Walls upon each box having guide groovesfor said pins, and tension means arranged in said side walls, engagedupon said hinge pins, and tensioning said partitions into the positionsin which said Apartitions either arise -from or are swung back onto saidback walls.

6. As an article of manufacture, tray-like, solid, relatively nestableboxes having back walls and partitions arising from said walls andrendered nestaole by an arrangement under which the partitions can beswung back onto said walls, comprising hinge pins and lock pins uponopposite ends of said partitions, opposite side walls forming part ofeach of said boxes and having guide grooves for said pins, the groovesfor the lock pins being arcuately disposed and having offset spurportions at opposite ends for accommodating said lock pins when saidpartitions arise from or are swung onto said back walls, respectively.

'7. As an article of manufacture, tray-like, solid, relatively nestableboxes having back walls and partitions arising from said walls andrendered nestable by an arrangement under which the partitions can beswung back onto said walls, comprising hinge pins and lock pins uponopposite ends of said partitions, opposite side walls forming part ofeach of said boxes and having guide grooves for said pins, the groovesfor the lock pins being arcuately disposed and having olset spurportions at opposite ends inclinedly partitions, said hinge pins beingpredeterminedly` spaced from the upper and lower edges ofsaidvpartitions, opposite side walls forming part of said boxes, and havingguide grooves arising from said back wall and accommodating said hingepins, and tension means pressing said hinge pins down in said guidegrooves.

9. As an article of manufacture,v tray-like, solid, relatively nestableboxes having back walls and partitions arising from said Walls andrendered nestable by an arrangement under which the partitions can beswung back onto said walls, comprising hinge pins upon opposite ends ofsaid partitions, said hinge pins being predeterminedly spaced from theupper and lower edges of said partitions, opposite side walls formingpart of said boxes and having guide grooves arising from said back walland accommodating said hinge pins, tension means pressing said hingepins down in said guide grooves, and locking means receiving saidpartitions under the ypressure of said tension, means and releasalblyretaining said partitions in pitched positions in which the partitionsarise from said back walls.

7.0. An article of manufacture comprising a series of nestable boxeseach having vertically disposed partitions which are adapted to befolded into contact with the bottom of the respective box, twooppositeli/positioned walls of said box being provided in their inneropposing faces with grooves adapted to form receiving, retaining,guiding and locking means for co-operative, coac-ting features carriedupon the ends of said partitions, partitions for said box having uponeach end thereof a feature such as a pin or dowel having co-operativeaction with said grooves so as to occupy, be retained, guided and lockedthereby in their service position, and tension means reacting upon saidbox, engaged upon portion oi" said partitions, and supplementing thegravitational tendency of the partitions to assume a lowest position inthe norm-ally disposed box by depressing said portion down towards the.bottom of the box.

` EDNA SIBLEY TIPTON.

